


Bodyguard Down

by SolNiveAngelo (Mogadorian_Wolf)



Category: Darkest Powers - Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Alternate Universe - Normal Life, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-03
Updated: 2018-04-03
Packaged: 2019-04-18 01:18:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14201886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mogadorian_Wolf/pseuds/SolNiveAngelo
Summary: Derek tries to protect Simon from the other boys





	Bodyguard Down

**Author's Note:**

> This originally happened in the lab where Derek was kept, but I changed to a normal AU. I’m not sure I like it as much. Just too lazy to change it back.  
> Maybe I could do more normal AU with Derek and Simon if anyone is interested?

                They were playing outside in the sand. Simon was blabbering on about some movie he saw. Derek didn’t really care about that, but he liked the way the other boy brightened, how he waved his arms around him and would touch Derek and grin over at him. So Derek let him ramble as much as he wanted, and watched him.

                Simon dumped sand on down Derek’s back and laughed before proudly declaring, “I’m going to teach you how to smile. Really smile, not just your bright eyes smile.”

                Derek stared at the other boy, feeling something warm in his chest. Simon leaned forward, watching Derek intently. Sometimes Derek thought Simon didn’t like it if he wasn’t paying attention to him, but Derek knew it was important to keep an eye on the other boys to keep Simon safe. He wished they would disappear when Simon was around, so he could keep his attention on Simon.

                He heard the other boys coming toward them with laughs and jeers. Derek glanced up, before making some excuse about a toy being on the other side of the sandbox and moving to keep Simon behind him. Simon looked at him questioningly before going back to build the best sandcastle that even Spiderman could live in. Derek was glad. He didn’t know how to tell him that there was a deep desperation to keep Simon safe, even if it meant Derek was putting himself in danger.

                The boys stopped at the sandbox, and Derek tensed, watching them out of the corner of his eye. At home, they didn’t make their distaste of Derek a secret and would shove him or lock him outside or in a small space, laughing. They were a little better behave at school, but they’d still mercilessly pick on him and try to mess with Simon.

                “That’s our sandbox,” The leader snarled, and Derek tensed, not saying a word.

                “You can’t own a sandbox,” Simon protested, and Derek wanted to hide Simon from not being able to keep quiet in the face of potential danger.

                He quickly stood up in front of Simon. The other boys didn’t hesitate in shoving and hitting and kicking him. He didn’t fight them until a bright one went after Simon, and then he shoved the boys away as hard as he could. The other boys leapt on him while he desperately tried to keep Simon out of the tussle even as the other boy tried to get to his side. Then they were being separated, and Derek couldn’t see Simon. Panic clutched at his chest, and he cried out. If he couldn’t see Simon then how could he make sure he was safe?

                “Derek stop!” A teacher snapped, but Derek didn’t care. Then Simon was right beside him with a scratch on his cheek and dirt staining his elbows and knees. Derek calmed down, grabbing the other boy’s hand.

                The teacher sighed. “Simon why don’t you take Derek to the nurses? Derek, we’ll be talking about your behavior when you get back.”

                Derek nodded, and Simon grinned before dragging Derek off toward the nurses. He desperately clung to Simon’s hand as they went inside. The nurse didn’t really like him, and he didn’t really know why. Simon was just fine with her.

                Nurse Fellow’s face wrinkled in distaste when she saw Derek coming in, and suspicion clouded her eyes when she saw the scratch on Simon’s face. Simon took a step in front of Derek, babbling before she could say anything, and Derek wondered if that was intentional, if Simon was protecting him. “The other boys just came up and said the sandbox was theirs and then they attacked him and one tried to go after me, but Derek just shoved them off and came to rescue me. I tried to help, but he’s like batman or superhero. He’s going to be all right, right?”

                “I’m sure he’ll be fine.” She curled her lip and glanced at their joined hands. Derek squeezed Simon’s hand, not willing to relinquish it. He didn’t want the other boy to leave; he was Derek’s only friend, the only one that seemed to really care.

                Nurse Fellows snorted. “I’m going to go check on the other boys.”

                “I can watch over Derek!” Simon quickly volunteered, and Derek blushed, ducking his head, whispering: “I can take care of myself.”

                Simon turned on him, hands on his hips like a bossy little nurse as he lectured Derek, “You just got hurt. You need to be protected. It’s my turn to be your bodyguard.”

                Nurse Fellows didn’t even wait for the rest of Simon’s little lecture before disappearing. Simon frowned when he noticed, but he didn’t say anything before nudging Derek onto the plastic covered bed. Derek felt his face flush as he obeyed, looking away from his little nurse. The other boy didn’t let go of Derek’s hand as he gently prodded one of the gashes on Derek’s leg. “Does it hurt?”

                Derek shrugged. “A little.”

                Simon kissed it abruptly, and Derek felt his face hear up even more as he gaped at the other boy. Simon gave him a sheepish smile. “I’ve seen moms do it on TV. IT’s supposed to make it better, but I don’t have a mom so I don’t know if it really works.”

                “It works just fine,” Derek cut in softly, his lips twitched up at the warm feeling coursing through him.

“You finally smiled!” Simon cried, throwing himself at Derek with a face-breaking grin. “It was a small one, but it’s a start.”

Derek caught him, holding the other boy. The warm feeling took on a tingling edge, and he really smiled.


End file.
